Mind over matter or friends?
by myrninxmorganvillevampiresx
Summary: At the end of 'Lord of Misrule' Bishop takes over Claire's body and mind. But what would happen if she never came out from that mind control? Can she continue to protect her friends, when she is the one they need protecting from? Review what you think or any ideas, I might put them in...
1. Chapter 1

Bishop put the paper around Claire's arm and held it by the wrist, stopping her from taking it off. He looked at a page in the book and read out a few lines in an old, harsh tongue. The paper shrunk until it was pressed into Claire's arm. She cried out and tried to wriggle free of the two vampires holding herm but it was impossible. The paper tightened until she could no longer feel her arm and then started to fade, as if it was sinking into her arm. That's what it was doing, Claire realised as she watched it. Bishop carried on reading, and suddenly and sharp pain shot through Claire's entire body. She cried out, and the two vampires backed off, leaving her by herself. 'Claire!' Shane shouted, desperately trying to get free. A moment later Claire screamed as an unimaginable pain coursed through her. It was in her head, in her body, her soul. She couldn't get rid of it. She collapsed to the floor, holding herself and screamed in pain. Now Eve was struggling and shouting. All during this Bishop read with an almost bored tone, leaning against his throne. The pain stopped, and Claire relaxed. She stood and walked up to Bishop. 'Claire Danvers, do you swear unfaltering loyalty to me?' Bishop asked. Shane and Eve gasped as Claire immediately replied 'yes'.

Claire stood by bishop's side, looking at the two people who dared to oppose him. She knew their names, but somehow could really make the effort to remember who they were. The one on the right, the angry looking boy looking as if he were about to swing a punch, that was Shane. The one standing beside him with black streaks down her face from her non-stop tears, was called Eve. Claire knew more, but why should she care? She was content to be by bishop's side. He was the only ruler worth following. The lines on Claire's arms swirled and moved with an almost hypnotic pattern as she thought this.

'You can't do this.' Eve said. Bishop laughed and a few other vampires joined in. 'I cannot fathom why you think that you, a mere human girl, can stop me. I am very old child, and tire of these games you play. Give in, accept the inevitable. I am the new ruler of this town. Even your friends admit it.' Shane took a step forward and was immediately restrained by a vampire. 'Michael, dammit, let go of me!' he shouted. Claire remembered Michael too. He was a sensible one, coming to this side, the winning side. She smiled a little. 'You bore me. I know, how about some entertainment?' a sly smile came across Bishops face. 'Claire, come here.' He patted his knee. She obligingly sat, as Shane and Eve stared with grim looks. 'Claire, please, come back.' Eve tried. Claire ignored her and focused on Bishop. 'Now, you swore unfaltering loyalty to me, didn't you?' Claire nodded. 'So you will do anything I ask, without hesitating? Because I am your leader, yes?' Claire smiled and replied 'Yes Bishop' He smiled happily and said 'Well then. You shall provide entertainment for us then, little Claire.' The room waited expectantly. 'You will kill your friends'.


	2. Chapter 2

The vampires around the room all smiled, showing lethal fangs. Claire nodded and only said 'Yes Bishop' with an adoring smile on her face. She would do anything for him, because he was the only thing that mattered. She did frown, however and this caught Bishops attention. 'Is there something wrong?' he asked. 'Well…' Shane and Eve held their breath as Claire paused. 'They aren't my friends. I know them, but I don't want anything to do with them. Not anymore, because I have you now' She threw her arms around Bishops neck and hugged him. Shane and Eve stared with horror. Bishop chuckled and smiled tauntingly at them, then said 'now, what shall we kill them with?'

After a brief discussion, a vampire approached Bishop with a sword in his hands. Bishop took it and handed it to Claire, who was waiting patiently next to the throne. 'Will this do then Claire? Is it not a suitable weapon for you to kill these people with?' Claire took it and held it up to the light. 'Beautiful' she murmured. 'Claire, you can't kill us, we're your best friends!' Eve pleaded. 'Claire, listen to us, you don't have to do this!' Shane said. Neither one truly believed Claire was so under Bishops control that she would kill them. That thought was destroyed however, as Claire, with perfect aim, spun round and chopped off the head of the vampire behind her. His body thudded to the floor and the blood flowed down the stairs. 'It's perfect' Claire announced, and started down the stairs, her sneakers squelching in the blood.

'Which one should I kill first then?' she called to Bishop, who hadn't seemed the slightest bit surprised at Claire's sudden skill with a sword. 'Hmmm…' he pondered. 'Kill the girl. She won't last long anyway'. She nodded and headed towards Eve. The vampire who had hold of Eve let her go and assisted his partner in dragging Shane out the way. He was shouting at Bishop and struggling, but he was no match for a vampire's strength.

Eve backed away from Claire, obviously terrified. 'C-claire bear, come on, you don't know what you're doing' she pleaded, her voice breaking with fear. Claire didn't hesitate, didn't stop but kept on advancing. The distance between them was becoming shorter and shorter. Claire lifted her arm to bring the sword down, as Eve watched with horror. The sword whistled through the air and Shane screamed out as Claire brought it down, but it clanged onto the marble floor. Eve had moved at the last second, and now lay on the floor a few metres away. Shane sagged with relief, but gasped as he saw the blade, dripping red. All the vampires in the room had their fangs out at the scent of Eve's blood, but none would make a move without Bishops permission. Eve didn't move as Claire started walking towards her. She could feel the excitement rising in her chest as she thought of Bishops reaction when she killed this girl. He would be proud of her, so proud. She had to do this, she would make Bishop so happy.

Eve shakily got to her feet after a couple of seconds, but Shane gasped as she turned round to face Claire. Her entire arm was red, the gash wasn't visible but it must have been deep, as blood was pouring from her arm and there was a steady drip-drip-drip as it hit the floor. The vampires around the room were shaking with the effort to hold back. Claire steadily advanced as Eve stumbled backwards. For once, her deathly pale complexion wasn't makeup. She looked about to faint. In a few minutes, she was backed up against the wall with no way out. Claire stopped and brought the sword up, and Eve screamed as it was brought down and-


	3. Chapter 3

-the sword stopped halfway. Eve gasped and promptly fainted, crashing to the floor in a pool of her own blood, dangerously pale. Claire frowned, confused. What was going on? She looked up and saw a pale hand clasping the blade of the sword, blood leaking out and trickling down to the hilt. She spun round and came face to face with a vampire. Or rather, a vampires chest. He was extremely tall and she had to crane her neck to see his face. He was looking down at her with a look on his face - what was that look? Neither pity, nor anger, nor sadness. It irritated her, and she tried to pull the sword from his grasp, but of course it wouldn't budge. 'Claire' he started, but was interrupted by Bishop. 'Well' he said 'it seems we are in a bit of a predicament'. Claire craned round the vampire holding the sword, and saw a pale woman standing with a silver knife to Bishops throat. There were many other vampire stationed around the room, silently menacing. Claire's thoughts about the strange vampire disappeared and she screeched before taking off towards the woman threatening her master. All she could focus on was the knife at his throat.

Before she got far, an arm wrapped around her waist and she was lifted off the ground. Claire struggled, she scratched and kicked and tried to wiggle away, but she was held in an iron grip which wasn't letting her go. 'Claire, stop!' the vampire pleaded, but she wouldn't, she couldn't. As she fought with the tall vampire, Bishop smiled and said 'Amelie dear, what do you plan to do? There are many more of us than there is of you. I even have your little pet under my control.' Amelie, apparently the vampire with the knife, replied 'That is easily corrected. Did you really think I was so foolish as to not come up with measures to take my people back?'

As one, all the vampires with Amelie grabbed someone and bit them. Bishops face contorted with fury but he could do nothing but watch. In the midst of all this, Claire was turned around by the vampire so she was facing him. 'I am truly sorry about this Claire, but I have no other choice' Myrnin whispered before plunging his fangs into her neck.

She screamed as her head exploded into pain. The lines on her arm were thrashing violently and she was shaking with the force of it. Myrnin kept biting her, and she felt as if she was divided into two. Fight him, said one half. This was the stronger one. Fight him, you need to be with Bishop, it said. As he continued to bite her, a little voice inside her became stronger. You know who you are Claire, it said. You care about your friends, don't you? They need you. Come back. Images of Michael, Shane and Eve flooded her mind and she stopped screaming, but her head whipped back and forth, as if she was having some invisible torture done to her. She moaned and held her head as war was waged inside her.

Hehehe, so what will Claire choose? Find out next chapter!


	4. Chapter 4

Slowly Claire's eyes opened, revealing an upside down Shane. 'Claire?' She blinked. 'Where am I?' she asked. An angry look appeared on Shane's face and he looked up, glaring at someone. She tried to sit up, but found that she couldn't move. Looking down, she realised that thick leather straps were preventing her from moving more than an inch upwards. She frowned and someone answered her unspoken question 'We don't know whose side you're on at the moment, Claire. I know it's uncomfortable, but we will need definite proof before we let you go'. She flinched at the voice, remembering what had happened the last time Myrnin spoke to her.

'I'm fine.' She assured them, not really feeling anything. Before Myrnin could speak again, Shane spoke, saying 'We know.' She relaxed back and lent her head on Shane's lap. He combed his fingers through her hair absent mindedly. 'Then why don't you let me go?' the question was met with an uncomfortable silence. She made her expression calm 'Honestly, I'm fine. No need to worry. I'm not going to go running back to Bishop, so can't you just let me go?' Someone drew a breath to speak –Myrnin she was guessing, but Shane beat him to it. 'Yeah, of course.' In just a minute, the straps slithered to the floor and she sat up. She was in some sort of… cell? City Hall jail probably. A sharp pain sliced through her head and she winced.

As she looked, she saw Myrnin leaning against the wall. He didn't look sad, if anything, he seemed suspicious. She narrowed her eyes but didn't say anything. He narrowed his eyes in return. Shane stood up and held his hand out, interrupting the staring contest. She took it and stood, asking 'Where's Eve?' Strain was evident on Shane's face as he told her Eve was in the hospital. Worry flooded Claire as she realised just how long she must have been unconscious for. 'Come on, they're letting people visit now' She nodded and followed him out of the cell.

They entered the hospital and walked to Eve's room. Shane looked through the glass and said that she was awake. 'I… maybe I should stay out here' Claire said. Shane looked at her with concern, but understood. Last time Eve had seen Claire, she was swinging a sword at her head. 'I'll go in and check' he said. 'Claire smiled at him and thanked him, trying to look relieved. He entered the room and sat on the side of Eve's bed. 'Hey' she said, still pale. There were bandages covering most of her arm and her chest. A tube connected her to an IV drip. 'Hey' Shane replied. He took a breath before blurting 'Claire's here. She wanted to see you' the look of fear was quickly replaced with a hastily plastered on smile, but it was still there. 'Oh' Eve said, sounding strained. 'I guess… you should let her come in then.' 'You sure?' he asked 'You don't have to'. Eve smiled in gratitude but told him that she still wanted her to see Claire. 'Okay' he said, and walked outside.

Claire wasn't there.


	5. Chapter 5

Claire walked down the street, not really knowing what was happening, but with a sense of calm. She had to be somewhere… where? The question startled her and she stopped walking. Uncertainties flooded her. Why was she doing this? She shouldn't… just then the soothing presence came back and she resumed walking. _It's alright, you know where you're going, you have to get him, you have to help him…_

She entered Morganville jail, and walked right past the guard as if he didn't see her. She didn't know where abouts she was, but somehow knew how to get to where she was going. His cell…

She entered the cell block, again walking past the guard as if he didn't see her, and proceeded down to the end. Where Bishop was. He was her master… wasn't he? She slowed and thought. What was he? Her…master? It didn't sound right. A voice spoke behind her and she slowly turned. No surprise, Myrnin was standing there, watching her.

'Where are you going, little Claire?' he asked, in a weary sort of voice. 'I…' she honestly didn't know. He must have seen the confusion on her face because he continued, in the same gentle tone 'Come on, let's go back. There are things here that shouldn't be disturbed'. Claire took a step in his direction and stopped when the voice came back. _That's the wrong direction_, it said. She turned, but Myrnin was standing in front of her. 'Claire' he said seriously. 'Don't listen. Come back with me. You don't belong here.' She paused, because that sounded true. But she felt as if she was balancing on a very thin rope, that was going to make her fall over one side or the other before long. The voice was back, quietly insisting. She dismissed it this time, but it rose in volume until it was shouting. She cringed and slapped her hands over her ears, but to no avail. It just continued. She could still hear Myrnin though, and with a shock, realised he was inside her mind as well. _Claire, you don't have to listen to him anymore. _ She knew, knew that he was right, and fought and struggled to get out of the last strand of Bishops influence. She remembered what he had made her do to Eve, and that gave her strength. 'No!' she shouted. 'I'm never… never letting you do that again!' she _pushed_, and felt the string that had been connecting her with Bishop snap. She tumbled into Myrnins arms, and he caught her with ease. He led her outside, through the maze until they were out of the building. 'Are you alright?' he asked with worry. She smiled at him, grateful. 'I had to do that, didn't I? I had to choose to break his influence over me.' He nodded and relaxed a fraction. She impulsively hugged him. He tensed up for a second, then relaxed and hugged her back. She stepped back and said sadly, 'I'd better go and see Eve' he nodded gravely but made a little shooing motion. She smiled slightly and set off to make amends. But somehow, she just knew that it wasn't going to be over…

**The end.**


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